Secrets of a Snake
by Daitsuke-kun
Summary: Everyone has secrets. What secrets does Snake have? Something unexpected and unusual for sure! Last update: Secrets 2 on Christmas Eve. SnakexMeryl implied.
1. Secret 1

_Hey there! I'm now playing Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance on my PC, and I can't beat that scene where you need to save the prez... Stupid NIKITA launcher, how to launch this shit anyways!? Oh, whatever, your not interested in this, I guess... My problems, sorry._

_Anyways, I've seen Snake skateboarding on YouTube and I just got that idea to write a fic... Couldn't think of a better title though. I always have hard time with titles... _

_It's possibly a twoshot, I don't know yet if I'll right about the part where Snake teaches Otacon how to skateboard... Mmm, I'm thinking about it, maybe I will, maybe I won't... _

_Oh, you know, we'll soon have "Igromir" here, in Moscow, and I'm going there! I'll be cosplaying Jill Valentine BTW *_* Cool, huh? And my friend will be cosplaying Chris, my another friend - Claire, and the friend of my best friend - Steve... The whole band xDDDDDD _

_Okay, so you're here for the fic, I assume xDDDD Well then, read it! xD It's all yours :P If there's something wrong about it, tell me, okay?.. _

_A/N: I don't own Solid Snake nor Hal Emmerich aka Otacon. Sadly, they belong to Konami and Hideo Kojima. But it's okay - when I'll grow up I'll create a game as cool as MGS... xDDDDDDD LOL_

_Well, straight to the fic!.._

* * *

Snake locked the safe and, turning first to the left, then to the right, hid the key inside his pants. Yes, yes, exactly inside his pants – not in the pocket, but in his pants. He thought it would be safer that way, because no one could possibly snatch it out of there, and it couldn't get lost by an accident.

Snake sighted and relief and decided to take a shower. His trademark blue bandana was still present on his head, as he decided to wash it too – for once in his (or more bandanas) life.

He threw it into the washing machine and just stood there for a second, deciding in what mode to wash it - in a delicate one or some other. He didn't really knew much about washing machines exept were the on/off button was and he really couldn't care less. But he treated his bandana, his favorite blue bandana rather tenderly, and he wanted all the best for it. Oh, what strange obsessions the mighty sometimes have...

He shared an apartment with Otacon, his friend and a computer friend. Otacon was a good guy not only on the battlefield, but in life as well – helpful and resourceful. There wasn't a day where the fridge was empty – there always was food in there – eggs, meat, chicken – everything he wanted, actually. Snake always got amused when every time he saw the fridge full of different kinds of food – he'd never seen Otacon leave his place beside a computer, really. And he'd never seen a man from the grocery store near they're apartment either. Colonel advised them not to attract to much attention to themselves.

But Otacon had his own odds. First – he was a nerd. A nerdy nerd, although Snake haven't seen too much nerds in his life, now he was sharing an apartment with a one. Hal never seemed to leave his chair beside his computer, and even if he did, it was only to take two steps to the kitchen to grab some milk or cookies or a kinder surprise. Yes, that was one of Otacons strange likes – he adored kinder surprises – these chocolate eggs with different toys inside – and even had a collection of them. He had all sorts of toys – from little dinosaurs to tiny globules where the continents were placed wrong and Africa was actually called Australia. Otacon could look at such globules for hours, studying them through the magnifying glass and thinking how stupid the people were who made such globes. Snake always snickered at that and advised Hal to grow up. Hal didn't get offended though – he fixed his glasses with his trademark "Otacon-knows-everything" look and said that Snake was all to serious to understand him, the lonely, but highly optimistic otaku boy. If only Otacon knew, thought Snake when Hal started his speech about how always serious Snake was and how he, Hal Emmerich, just wanted him to loosen up a bit.

Yes, and anime was another one of Otacon's obsessions. Snake often found him beside television, eating kinder surprises, his eyes glued to the screen were a girls with big mutant eyes, in short – no, tiny – skits that it was a miracle their panties were somehow not seen (how was still a mystery to Snake – he was not a pervert, but he was just curious because in real life, he knew… They'll look more as porno actresses in such outfits) and such swords that if Cyborg Ninja saw them just once, he would die laughing. He just didn't understand that. But everyone can have their own interests and odds as long if it isn't choking people with pillows or ripping their flesh with a real-life chainsaw, wearing a potato sack on their heads.

After showering, Snake – or David, as he was often called in peaceful times, which happened so rarely that he often forgot his "real" name – dressed in clean blue Jeans and a plain white T-shirt he happened to own somehow, maybe because of his friend once again. Snake didn't bother too much about clothes, really – he didn't give a damn to tell the truth. But somebody had to, and that just happened to be Otacon. Not like he minded.

Snake decided to shave once – of course he was more used to a stubble on his face, but today he just wanted to get rid of it. For no particular reason, just wanted and that's all. Maybe to look a little younger. Who knows?..

After he exited the bathroom, fixing a band aid on his right cheek, that's it, he stopped on his tracks and cocked his head a little, frowning. Something wasn't right.

Otacon usually would call him on his communicator and ask if he wanted to watch an anime with him (and the funniest thing was that Hal was sitting just in another room, but old habits die hard). Snake would refuse and Otacon would shrug, saying that it was worth a try anyways. Then David would go to his room and fall asleep there, then wake up to the sounds of Hal cursing, trying to make them some soup.

But this time… This time something indeed wasn't right. His communicator stayed silent, no matter how intently the famous soldier stared at it – it didn't bother to ring. David rolled his eyes and quietly entered Otacon's room, where it's inhabitant say beside his favorite computer, watching at something intently on the monitor, his eyes wide open.

- Wow, he's good… - Snake heard Otacon mumbling.

David glanced at the display and froze because of what he saw there.

Otacon was on YouTube – on one of his favorite sites where he often got to know about the new animes that were about to come. This time, however, there wasn't a random anime teaser on the monitor…

The trees. The park. The fence. The wall… The figue, the all-too familiar figure...

So someone was videotaping! Snake had that tingling sensation that he was being watched, but he couldn't do anything because if he unfocused… He could fall, no matter how good he was.

"Please, God, if you're somewhere there, don't let him discover that this is me…"

But the God didn't hear him. Or maybe there was no God. Or maybe the God didn't want to hear him. Who knows, but when Otacon turned, Snake gulped. His friend knew everything by the look in his shiny blue eyes.

It was his bandana, had to be. The quality of the video wasn't good at all – in fact, it was taped by a simple phone camera – but his blue bandana was pretty much noticeable even with such bad quality camera.

- Snake, that was awesome!

David rubbed the back of his head uneasily.

- Why didn't you tell me that you could skateboard so well!?..

Okay, he was totally busted. Otacon would tease him for forever from now on. Tease mercilessly. He knew Hal's character pretty well and he was already thinking about running to Meryl's apartment that was three blocks away, barricading the door, disconnecting the phone and stay like this until someone hits Otacon on the back of his head and he has permanent amnesia… But chances of that were slim to none, so…

- Mind to teach me?..

Oh holy mother fucking shit…

* * *

_So... Continue?.._


	2. Secret 2 on Christmas Eve

It was an ordinary day. An ordinary Christmas day, actually.

Well, a normal Christmas day for normal people, exactly. Because Snake and Otacon surely weren't normal people in commom sense of normalicy. Why, you ask? Well, for starters, they were a spy and a programmist sharing a little flat. You don't get it? Occasions to be there, of course! Especially on Christmas Eve.

There's a famous saying in Russia: "Как встретишь Новый Год, так его и проведешь". Translating in English, the way of meeting New Year depends on how the whole new year will be for you. Well, if that was true, Snake and Otacon's year would be quite messy and have an unexpected turn...

If you still don't get it, here's how their morning started.

"Otacon! Otacon! OTACON!"

Hal Emmerich, the famous "Otacon" yawned and parted his face from the keyboard he was currently sleeping on.

"OTACON, wake UP!"

"Uh, what the hell Dave..." - Otacon rubbed his eyes behind his sunglasses and turned, watching his friend standing in the doorway with a cup of steaming...

Otacon sniffed air suspiciously.

"Is this Nesquick I sense?"

"Yeah, so what?" - Snake said coolly, sscratching his light stubble.

Otacon shrugged and yawned once again.

"Were you watching anime all night once again?"

Otacon fiercly shook his head.

"Uh, no. I was searching for the new information on Metal Gear and unexpectedly fell asleep" - he explained, stratching.

"Well that's no wonder because your body needs it's break. You can't work daily and not sleep at all, you're not a robot after all"

"And when I was little I wanted to be one so much..." - sighted Otacon. As he switched the computer to the working mode instead of a sleep one, he stood up and walked to his friend who was sipping hot chocolate nonchalantly.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you where were my socks"

"Uh, what?" - Hal asked, dumbfounded.

"My socks. I think I lost them"

"In a one-room flat? - Otacon chuckled. - You, Dave, of all people..."

"Hey, it's Solid Snake who is always concentrated and all, David is messy and stupid" - joked Snake in his usual husky voice. And that was the truth, even though Snake and David was the same person. When David was in a "spy" mode, he was perfect in any possible way a professional could be. But when he was in a "human" mode, he was the messiest person possible. He could easily leave his cigarrets pack in a fridge and look for them half a day untill Otacon decided to get himself some milk or weird japanese snacks Snake even feared to touch.

"I don't know where they possibly can be, it's you're socks actually."

"I know but I thought you might have seen them..."

"On you yesterday evening I did - confirmed Otacon. - Maybe the laundry?"

"Been there, no"

"Under the bed?"

"Looked in the first place, no"

"In the drawer?"

"No"

"Wardrobe?"

"No"

"My room?"

Dave gave him a weird look.

"We share the same room, Hal"

Otacon sweatdropped, rubbing the back of his neck uneasily.

"Oh, yeah... Right..."

Suddenly Snake steeped further inside the room and coolly snatched the missing socks... From the lamp.

"Oh, here they are. I never would've guessed they could be there"

And every time Dave would be surprised at the place he found the missing item, not remembering that it was himself who put it there.

Giving the cup with hot chocolate to Otacon, he nonchalantly slipped the socks on his bare feet, his hair falling onto his eyes. Otacon watched as he straightened and flipped the hair from his eyes. It was getting too long, and when not held by his famous bandana it nearly reached to his shoulders.

"I think you shall cut your hair Dave" - said Otacon, giving the cup back to his friend. Snake's blue eyes stopped on his and Dave chuckled.

"You know, you just passed a test if you're trustworthy enough."

Otacon's expression turned to the puzzled one.

"And... Am I?"

"I said you passed it"

"A-and how exactly did I pass it?" - Hal crossed his arms.

Snake ran a hand through his brown hair.

"You didn't even took a sup, that's how. Although a test required a party, a friend, and a glass of vodka..." - Snake stroke his chin thoughtfully.

"Whatever..." - Otacon facepalmed himself.

* * *

At the exact moment Solid Snake entered Meryl's house, his eyes were set on the black grand piano that stood shyly in the dark corner of the room. He even forgot about the uncomfortable black tux with white stripes Otacon made him squeeze into.

_"We're going to Meryl's! And she's throwing a party!"_

_"You're point being?" - Snake asked while Otacon was struggling with Dave's tie. _

_"You like her, right?"_

_"Well..." - trailed Snake, scratching the back of his neck. Otacon fixed his tie and nearly smothered his friend. Luckily, when Snake managed to cough, probably trying to say he still wanted to live, Hal apologetically fixed it normally. _

_"Exactly! And women like men in tuxes! They think they look more serious and handsome!" _

_"So?"_

_Otacon nearly cried out loud in frustration. He supposed Snake understood women probably just like elephant understood a monkey, but he never would've thought his friend was that dense.  
_

_"You want her to like you, right? Then just wear it!" - Hal hit his friend's shoulder. _

_"But Otacon, I don't think she likes me for my looks..."_

_"JUST WEAR IT!"_

_"Oh, okay... - Snake said obediently, and then mumbled - But still I don't see any sense in it"._

_Otacon just rolled his eyes, sighting._

As soon as his friend's eyes fell on the piano, Otacon guessed something changed in his friend. He saw Dave's fists clench, his eyes trying to desperately look somewhere else but not the instrument.

"Hey Hal! Hi, Dave! - Meril waltsed to them in a white dress that ended just above her knees and showed her cleavage pretty well. - Hey, Dave, you alright?" - she looked into his eyes, sensing something was going on with him.

"Er, I'm okay, it's nothing." - Snake shook his head and fixed his eyes on Meryl. As soon as his eyes ran her up and down, he felt something warm trickling down his chin...

"Snake, you're nose is bleeding" - the redhead pointed out worriedly.

David felt his face flush for the first time in new history as he rushed forward to find the only place logical for the situation.

"Dave, the bathroom is at the end of the corridor" - Meryl yelled in the direction where her friend ran off to. - The left... Door..."

As she turned to Otacon with a puzzled expression (Meryl certainly didn't know what was with her friend as she knew about male/female relationships absolutely nothing. Probably she wasn't even comfortable in the dress that Mei Ling made her wear.

_"Um, Mei, is it necessary for me to wear this... Piece of clothing?.."_

_Her friend scoffed at this fraze, trying to apply mascara properly on Meryl's eyelashes._

_"You like Snake, right?"_

_After Mei Ling assumed thatб Meryl was carefully avoiding her gaze. _

_"Well... Uh..."_

_"Exactly! And Men like women in pretty dresses!"_

_"So?"_

_Mei Ling would've facepalm herself if her hands wouldn't have been busy, one holding the tube with mascara and another supporting Meryl's head._

_"Snake IS a MAN, and he'll certainly like you in this dress"_

_"But I thought he likes me for who I am and not for my clothes..."_

_"JUST WEAR IT!"  
_

_"Oh, okay... - Meryl said, sighting. - But I still don't see any sense in wearing this..."_

_Mei Ling just rolled her eyes in frustration.  


* * *

_

While eating roasted chicken, Snake still felt nervous just knowing that the grand piano was present in the same room he was. Otacon was clueless to his friend's nervous condition, he was eating a salad and chatting with Mei Ling about something, probably about computers.

Snake threw a glance at the piano, then another one. As he tried to concentate on something else, she tried not to look at Meryl as he still was embarassed about the incident that happened a half an hour ago. And he didn't want the repeating of the incident.

Gel in his hair felt so unnatural to him. His hand automatically shot uo as he wanted to run a hand through his hair but he quickly brought it back to the chicken he was eating. _Do not even try to touch it or you'll ruin it_, Otacon warned him before they went to Meryl's.

As he found courage and glanced at Meryl who had a bored expression on her face while drinking orange juice, he noticed her hand travelling to her perfectly fixed hair. As she caught his glance, she quickly changed the direction and made it look like she wanted just to scratch her cheek. Snake smirked (_looks like we have the same problem_), but then noticed the piano again, and his hands reflexively clenched into fists.

_Don't even think about it,_ he warned himself.

But then, if it could make him feel better... And maybe Meryl would like it... He'd try to express his feelings through it if he didn't have guts to confess openly to her...

Sometimes words aren't needed, he soothed himself as he stood up and started hesitantly walking to the piano. Meyl's eyes followed him as he neared it, opened the lid and sat at the piano, his calloused fingers touching the keys lightly at first. Then he felt himself more confident as his skin registered the solid familiarity of the instrument.

* * *

The room fell silent as a beutiful melody erupted from the piano in the corner. Otacon turned in the direction of enchanting soft sounds and froze on the spot, forgetting instantly what he was talking about with Mei Ling. She seemed to have the same reaction as her eyes fixed on Snake, watching his fingers run on the keys of the piano.

Meryl's mouth nearly hung open as she saw David, Solid Snake, playing a beautiful melody. She felt as though the whole world suddenly stopped, and life everywhere just blacked out, and the only living spot was there, where Snake was, playing the instrument she never knew how to was her mother who was the only one who could play it, and she sometimes remembered how she played beautifully while little Meryl was listening, and pretending she was a princess of some fairytale.

Snake was the second person who ever touched the piano. After her mom's death, the instrument was forbidden as no one else could play it, and Meryl sometimes walked to it and tried to push some sad keys on it, but the sounds it made were far from what her mother made it make with her magic...

And now Snake was playing, and she felt as though she was going back, back to her childhood days when her mother was still alive, and when they all were happy and when there were no problems in the world, only piano playing.

Snake's face seemed relaxed as he was playing, relaxed but concentrated at the same time. Meryl felt warm inside just looking at him, a fluttering sensation in her stomach; a sensation as if someone's arms were holding her in a warm embrace.

The whole room seemed to be bewitched by Dave's playing; Mei Ling closed her eyes and was quitely listening, her head on Otacon's shoulder whose eyes were fixed on his friend beside the instrument he never thought he was capable of playing. Meryl's own eyes were wide opened; the other room seemed to vanish.

Snake's own eyes were half lidded, and as long as Meryl watched him, they happened to have a soft glowing to them; a soft glowing that somehow enveloped his whole self, that made him radiate. And she caught himself on the thought that she was the only one who could see him like that.

As the music rose to more high notes, she felt a prickling sensation in her heart. And when Snake lift his head and looked her directly in the eyes, she realized.

And when he ended playung and stood, his head bowed, a loud applause made him lift his eyes and see her's shining green ones. As she came closer, he felt all his nervousness go away. A new sensation - warm and cozy - filled him.

She came so close that he could see her beautiful long eyelashes, and, looking him right in the eyes, nodded her head a little. Snake felt it more than saw. He could feel also this fragile, but strong connection with her that made her radiant. He bent his head hesitantly, holding her arms, and their lips met in a shy, warm kiss.

* * *

"I didn't know you could play piano" - Otacon said, walking beside Dave who had his hands in the pockets of his pants, looking rather boyish. His hair was now partly free of the gel and looked quite messy.

"Well, it was one of my little secrets" - Snake grinned, looking to the side.

"You can skateboard, you can play piano, what else can you do, Dave? - Otacon laughed as they reached their apartment complex. - Oh, and I hope you invited Meryl to the restaraunt tomorrow, didn't you, Snake?"

David froze on the spot, sweatdropping, his hand going in his hair as a habit.

"Well, I uh... Kind of... Forgot." - He explained, not looking at Otacon. His friend frowned.

"Oh Snake, why do I always have to tell you what to do!? Do you totally not know how to handle women?.."

"I know how to handle women!" - protested Snake. Otacon pulled out his keys, opening the door of their shared flat.

"In combat" - assumed Hal, remembering this fight between Snake and Wolf in Shadow Moses. At the memory he sighted and shook his head, not letting sadness overcome him. He'd mourned over her death enough already.

"Well..."

"Than that's settled. I'll teach you"

"Yeah like you know..."

"At least I know more than you do" - Otacon threw the keys on the table as Snake went into their room, took off his boots and happily got rid off of his tux and changed into comfortable pants and a plain white shirt.

As he fell on the bed tiredly, breathing in deeply and contently, Hal chuckled.

"Guess it was a good day, huh?"

"You're so right. - grinned Snake, closing his eyes. - Better then any day not on the battlefield I ever had."

Hal turned to turn on the light but dropped his glasses accidentally. Picking them up and cleaning them with the material of his green hoodie he put them on the drawer near his bed and smiled:

"So Snake..."

But then he noticed his friend was already asleep; Snake's chest was moving rythmically as he breathed in and out, his mouth parted, his hair obscuring his face. David looked so innocent and so... Normal, he reminded even more of a boy than a hardened operative.

Otacon quietely changed into his pajamas and pulled a blanket over his friend before lying on his coach, not bothering to turn on the lights even for a second. He smiled as he snuggled in the warm blakets, looking at the glasses next to him on the drawer.

"I guess this was a very Merry Christmas indeed."


End file.
